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Chapter 9

Maria

"Lucy, I'm home," Lia sang as she opened the door.

"Come in. I'm writing a paper that is probably going to murder and bury me before I finish. Wait, also, can you get me some water?"

"College sounds fun," she said, and I heard her opening my fridge.

"How is Trinity? We've barely been able to talk," I said, typing up my last sentence.

"Oh, you know the same old same old," she said as I heard the sound of my cupboards opening and closing.

"My brother came back," I said, the guilt of not warning her creeping in.

"Yep. He did." She said shortly.

"I'm sorry I should have warned you, but I pulled an all-nighter and slept through two alarms."

"It's fine. He's being...polite."

"How is it for you?"

"Like if my heart is getting rammed by a black hummer," She said drily.

"Well, if it makes you feel better, he just kind of mopes in his room all day."

"That doesn't make me feel better; that makes me feel horrible because it's our fault," She said, holding out a glass of water.

"Well, would you rather he be having a great time? Cos, you know what my brother's idea of a great time was," I don't know why I said that, and I regretted it as soon as I said.

She winced, "No, of course not," she said softly, "I just rather not be in this situation in the first place."

I looked down at my lap, feeling even more guilt seep in.

"Have you found anything useful?" She asked me. She always asked me this whenever we saw each other.

"No. I mean, to be honest, I don't even know where to start. I feel like we've dried out every potential avenue," I said.

"I just feel like if your dad has something we're missing. Have you read through his journals?" She asked.

"No. I haven't had time. The time I did have, I spent it going through checkbooks and pay statements trying to find some sort of payment or at least a name. My grandmother is very thorough."

Lia sighed and plopped herself on my bed, her upper body across my mattress, her legs hanging from the side. I sometimes forget how small she was. She looked tired. Her eyes didn't have that quickness to them they usually had. 

She also looked thinner. Which was worrying. Lia was already tiny as it was. I noticed her curls were messy around her neck; it wasn't like her to have messy hair. I reasoned that she probably had braids and took them out before coming over.

"Liam gave me a journal that belonged to your dad," She said tentatively as she sat up.

I couldn't stop the grimace from sweeping over my face, "What the hell? When?"

"A few weeks ago, I wanted to tell you, but I've been with Lana twenty-four seven. I have it here," She said, reaching into her bag and pulling out the green journal.

"He said he took it on one of his mid-night escapades when you guys were dating. He said some men were looking for it."

"And you believed him?" I asked incredulously. How can she still be so trusting? Did she not see how people were. They're all liars.

"I don't know; he told me some story. It could be a lie. It could not be."

"Lia, I don't think you're the best judge of character when it comes to Liam."

"I mean, neither are you. At least I didn't almost marry Liam," She said, raising an eyebrow and cocking her head to the side.

I bit my cheek. Ouch.

"True. But I grew up with Liam, so I know their family. They're close to my grandmother and my grandfather. They're all piranhas, just waiting for a drop of blood. I wouldn't trust him any more than I could throw him, and we all know I can't even do a pushup."

She ignored me and placed the book on the desk next to me.

"He told me this story. I mean, it seems farfetched, but he said he overheard some people at your house talking about it. What if those people were the people we're looking for? What if he knows what they look like? I mean, you said it yourself, they could be among us at your family dinners, and we wouldn't even know."

"Liam is not the guy we turn to for help. Sorry, I refuse anything he could offer."

"Maria, the fact that there aren't any money transfers or checks written is maybe in an indicator that it was done through a cash exchange, meaning they met in person, more than once."

I looked at her, my brows furrowed, "I mean, we looked into all of her help. Her drivers. Her maid. Cooks," I tried not to sound annoyed, but I had a family dinner later today, and I was not in the mood to have my competence questioned before I had any wine in me.

"We have to be missing something. We might not be looking in the right places," Lia said, rubbing her cheek. "This journal has like a code or something. I thought it was just some letters having a weird smudge, you know, because he was sick and his hand was shaking or something, but it's very patterned. I know Liam well enough to know he isn't clever enough to think of that. The handwriting is also exactly like your father's."

I opened up the journal and looked at it, "I think you're looking too much into this, "I'm sorry, but I don't even really believe this journal is real. Liam knows you. He knows you like puzzles, and he knows you and Robbie aren't together," I said, handing it back to her. "I don't trust Liam. He has enough money to hire someone to create anything he wants. I don't know why you suddenly believe him."

She knit her eyebrows together, and her lower lip jutted out, "I don't trust him. I just don't think this is something we shouldn't dismiss. What's wrong with you? You're acting weird."

I let out a long breath, "I don't know, Lia. I mean, I'm freaked out, but at the same time, I think, what if they got what they wanted and they're happy now? What if they plan to just leave us alone?" I said, avoiding her gaze.

"What? Do you mean that?" She asked, standing up. Looked up at her, she looked at me expectantly. Her brown eyes were glossy, and she had a scowl on her face. I had seen Lia upset very few times; it felt like what I would imagine kicking a puppy would feel like.

I wanted to say yes. But I could tell from the look on Lia's face it's not what she wanted to hear, "No, I guess not. I mean, it's just, we don't even know where to start. We don't know what we're doing. We are so out of our league here," it sounded as lame out loud as it did in my head and I almost cringed.

I rubbed my face tiredly, "I just feel really overwhelmed right now."

This was true. I was overwhelmed. Lia's breakup could be a clean break if she wanted it to be. She could leave. Become a doctor, she wouldn't have any trouble finding another guy who would care for her. She's smart, she's pretty, she's good-natured. She could go off and live a perfect life. I couldn't. I was stuck with my family. I was stuck with their dinners and the criticizing and the constant feeling of failure.

"Okay, then let me figure it out," she said. Lia was so much like Robbie it was irritating at times. God forbid they ever let anything go. I get that she was invested. But my main priority was making sure my brother was safe, and my grandmother had backed off.

There were no weird men following me.

There were fewer and fewer strange people at our house. I think she was satisfied with how things were going.

It was good enough for me.

"Lia, are you even sleeping? You're wasting away, and you look tired all the time; I know your schedule is heavy this year."

"I'm fine," she snapped. She was a lot snappier lately. Even Lana noticed. Cranky from lacking sleep, most likely.

"I promise I will look into this more in a few weeks; I just have to do well this semester, my grandparents pulled strings for me to be here, and I'm being watched like a hawk." That was a half-lie. They weren't watching me like a hawk. They had already dismissed me and didn't even care how I did at school. This was a personal vendetta. I wanted to prove them wrong.

'A few weeks, ' she mouthed and shook her head," Let me look through what you have anyway. Two pairs of eyes are better than one, right?"

I wondered if something had happened. Lia hadn't been this persistent since the beginning of summer. There was desperation in the way she asked.

I sighed and pointed to a box underneath her bed, "Everything is there,"

"Thanks," she said, pulling it out.

"Lia, you can't let this consume you either; you have a bright future whether it's with my brother or not. Don't let this affect your grades or your friends. What if we just get dead ends? Don't burn all your bridges."

"I'm not burning any bridges, but I'm glad that your morale is so positive," She said sarcastically.

I gave her a sad look and helped her pack everything up in old department-store bags. When she left, I sunk into my chair. I had one hour before I had to go to make it on time for dinner.

—-

I purposefully arrived fifteen minutes before dinner was served. I knew my grandmother would make a snide comment about it, but I'll take that to not having to spend more time than necessary with my family.

One of the newer maids let me in, looking a little rattled at my late arrival. My grandmother probably told her to not set up a plate setting for me.

"Where's Darla?" I asked as I stepped in.

"She's in the kitchen," she said, grabbing my bag,

Darla was operating the kitchen for my grandmother's dinner parties these days. Ever since I left, she decided it was an opportunity to have more of her friends over since my friendly attitude wouldn't be around to sour her evening.

"Ms. Maria," Darla said with her hands kneading dough for a pie she was going to bake. I kissed her cheek and hugged her from behind.

"So. What's the crowd look like today?" I asked, stealing blueberries from a bowl.

"Family friends from Brazil. Mother and the daughter only, though. The mother just went through a divorce. She took half of everything."

"So what? They want to take another half?"

"The daughter is certainly beautiful, and they do keep pushing for Mr. Robbie to take her out."

I rolled my eyes. My grandparents were so predictable.

"They're waiting for you," She said, knowing I was stalling.

"Fine," I said, grabbing another handful of blueberries. 

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A/N

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